Mirpur District

Template:Infobox Pakistan district Mirpur District is a district in Pakistan's Azad Kashmir Territory. The district is named after the main city - Mirpur. The District of Mirpur has a population of 371,000 and covers an area 1,010 km2. The district is mostly plain with some hilly areas, its hot and dry climate and other geographical conditions closely resemble those of Jhelum and Gujrat, the adjoining Districts of Pakistan.

Administration

Mirpur District is located in the south west of the Kashmir region - it is part of Azad Kashmir . Azad Kashmir has been considered politically, constitutionally and geographically as part of a separate state, i.e. Jammu & Kashmir.

Consequently, fiscal issues, i.e. budget and tax affairs have been dealt with by the 'Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council', instead of the Central Board of Revenue. Azad Jammu & Kashmir Council is a supreme body, consisting of 11 members - 6 of these members are from the Government of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and 5 members are from the Government of Pakistan.

Also its chairman / chief executive is always the President of Pakistan. Hence, the rest of members are Azad Kashmir's own Prime Minister and President and some ministers, (also note that Azad Kashmir has its own president, prime minister and legislative assembly also supreme-court and high-court & other departments). The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) is responsible for tax affairs of rest of all Pakistani territory, i.e. all four provinces and the capital, Islamabad.

Immigration

People from this region of Azad Kashmir have historically looked abroad for employment. Many a ship employed Mirpuri boiler men in the age of steam. During the two world wars many Mirpuris enlisted in the merchant navy and armed services. During the last four decades a large number of people from this district have gone abroad, especially to United Kingdom for earning their livelihood. The Mangla Dam project in the early sixties resulted in the displacement of a large number of people, who under an agreement between the Pakistan government and the British government, were allowed to settle in the UK, where they are usually known as Mirpuri and play a role in the British society, economy, and politics.

Apart from UK people of Mirpur have also gone to Mideast countries like Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Masqat, Amman, Qatar, some to Turkey. Almost in every country of the world usually Mipuri people represent the Pakistani community. These people have also secured their culture and have not left their language and other moral values and they are proud of it.

As such, they are today the major foreign exchange earning resource for Pakistan. Around 50,000 people were moved from this district in the mid-sixties to make way for the construction of Mangla Dam, but corrupt handling of funds meant long drawn out delays in completing the project. Most of these people settled in new Mirpur whilst some moved elsewhere in Pakistan or to the UK. Around 400,000 people of Mirpuri descent (approximately half of whom are British-born)now live in the UK,where they have established thriving ethnic colonies in most of the industrial cities in the Midlands and North of England. Smaller Mirpuri ethnic colonies have also grown up in Denmark,Holland, Germany and Norway.

Subdivisions

The district is administratively subdivided into three tehsils, these are:

• Chakswari
• Dadyal
• Mirpur
• Baghsar Lake
• Bandala Valley
• Islamgarh - a famous town of Mirpur.
• Khari Sharif - located 8km from Mirpur, famous for its Sufi shrines.
• Mangla, a town 16km from Mirpur, it is situated at the mouth of the Mangla Dam for which it is famous.
• Rajoa
• Ramkot Fort
• Sahalia
• Samahni Valley

Ethnic groups

See main article Ethnic Groups of Azad Kashmir

The people of Mirpur District are divided into a number of ethnic groups and tribes, here is a list of the main ones:

Awan

They are mostly found in Sangot, Mohra Malkan, Ghaseetpur Awan, Khari Sharif and Andrah Kalan near Islamgarh. Many people from this tribe have settled in the UK.

Gujjar

They are the third largest tribe in the district. Most reside in Mirpur, Islamgarh, Sahalia, Dadyal and New Mirpur. Gujjars in Mirpur are in a minority, compared to Jatt and Rajput, this is mainly due to most of them having emigrated when old Mirpur was flooded following the construction of the Mangla Dam. They are very united and active in politics, enterprise and bureaucracy of AJK. The Gujjar clans are Bagri, Bajar, Bhumbla, Bjarh, Chandpuri, Chauhan, Chechi, Hans, Khatana, Khepar and Meelu.

Jatt

This tribe represents the majority population in the district. Jats reside in Dadyal, Mirpur city and Khari Sharif. Most reside in the traditional Jat heartlands of Chakswari, Dadyal, New city of Mirpur and the countryside surrounding Mirpur, which is overwhelmingly Jat. The main Jat villages in Mirpur City are Ban Khurma, Chitterpury, Balah-Gala, Kas Kalyal, Khambal, Khroota, Purkhan, Sangot and Dheri Thathaal with many villages around the Khari Sharif area. Jat's play an active role in the commerce & politics of AJK. They are the largest & most dominant group by population and politically in the city of Mirpur. Jat clans are made up of the Arnyals,Badhan, Bangial, Dhamials, Kalyals, Kanyals, Mathyals, Nagyals, Nathyals, Rachyals, Ranyals and Thathaals.

Kashmiri

Main city clans in Mirpur include Butt, Lone, Most work in the trade sector, especially in gold. They are the descendants of Kashmiri workmen who migrated to the plains of Punjab from the Kashmir Valley in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Maliar

This was one of the smaller tribe, traditionally associated with market gardening. Many are now involved in business.

Mughals

It is one of the big tribes of Mirpur. Mughals are not involved in politics but they are very active in the education sector. They are also very active in the medical field. One of the hospitals (Jinnah Hospital) is run in partnership of a Mughal and there is also a hospital by the name of Mughal Foundation (not to be confused with Qasbi caste of the area.)

Rajput

They are the second largest tribe, and play an active role in politics and bureaucracy. They reside in Mirpur city and Khari Sharif region. The sub-clans of Rajputs include Bais Rajput reside in the heaviest numbers and are the most active of Rajputs in the region but do not originate from the region, but rather originate from Oudh in India and migrated centuries ago, though it is disputed by most other Rajput tribes that the Bainse can be rightfully be called Rajputs. Other clans include the Gakhar, Chib also reside in quite a few numbers, similar to Gakhar, Jarral, Kahlotra, Mangral, Minhas, Panwar, Rathore, Sakhial and Sohlan or Solhan.

Rajput Bainse

This is a major tribe in the Mirpur area. They form the majority of the Mirpuri population in some towns and cities in England. Chib Rajputs have great rivalry with this clan and tend to dispute their origins since arguably the Bainse are refereed to a clan in their own right though Bainse claim their identity to be of Rajput lineage. Most Bainse used to reside in the famous Bainsi area to the north and west of old Mirpur town. A large number of these villages were inundated by the Jarri Khas dam (Part of Mangla Dam). Nearly all the villages from Mirpur enroute to Islamghar have majority Bainse population.

Sheikh

Sizeable minority of Sheikh cast resides in Mirpur district.

Sayyid

Though they are not big in numbers they are an active people and occupy important positions in all sectors.

Villages

Mirpur Tehsil

Abdupur, Abdulahpur, Afzalpur (Mirpur), Alghar, Andrah Kalan, Arah Jagir, Arnoh, Azizpur, Babyam, Baga Balwal, Baghpur, Bains (Mirpur), Bajar, Balwara, Balyala, Bang, Bangrela, Bani, Barkat, Batnian, Bidder, Bijoran, Boha, Bothi, Burial, Burjan, Chabrian Dattan, Chabrian Gujran, Chak Dolat, Chak Ghaian, Chak Haryam, Chak Langah, Chak Mughlani, Chaka Raja, Chak Roopa, Chak Sagar, Chak Sarwani, Chak Thakra, Chatan, Chechian, Chohan Balya PC, Chohan Bothi PC, Dab, Datial, Dhal Mahmood, Dhala, Dhalila, Dhamat, Dhang Dev, Dhangiri Bahadar, Dheri Raidewanchand, Dheri Barwan, Dheri Bhanian, Dheri Bruttian, Dheri Dhamial, Dheri Kandu Khan, Dheri Mehr Rodu, Dheri Nasrullah, Dheri Phali, Dheri Ramu, Dheri Rustam, Dheri Phali, Dheri Sultanpur, Dheri Susral, Dheri Thathaal, Dhornal, Dhudian, Dilu Chak, Domal, Dudal Jagir, Dullar, Dunglian, Fareeda, Ganoi, Ghaseetpur Awan, Ghaseetpur Sohalian, Ghasipur, Ghillay, Godari,Gorah Sanwala,Gunday, Gurrah Awan, Hamnal Bandore, Harchial, Hardo Sahota, Islamgarh, Jagram, Jamohi, Jangian Kotla, Janial, Jari, Jarol Kalan, Jathu, Jatlan, Joian, Kakra, Kalas, Kalyal Bhainsi, Kanali, Kangra, Kas Kalyal, Khangal, Kharek, Khari Sharif, Khokhar, Khurd, Kotla Dattan, Kotli Sarsawa, Lali, Lehri, Liddar, Loharay, Mahngraj, Malote Burjan, Mamoonpur, Manda, Mari, Mawa,Mehmunpur Rajgan, Mola, Muamer, Mughal, Nagial, Naka Chan Shah, Nandwal, Naugran, Pakhral, Panyam, Pindi Khurd, Pindi Subherwal, Plak, Potha Bainsi, Qazi Chak, Raipur (Mirpur), Rangpur, Rathoa Mehroo, Rathoa Mohammad Ali, Ratli, Reing, Salyal Sharif, Saggar (Mirpur), Sahib Chak, Sahng, Sam, Samwal, Seb, Sehns, Shahpur (Mirpur), Shar Burjan, Sheikh (Mirpur), Sukh Chanpur, Sunkia, Takipur, Thothal and Titrot.

Dadyal Tehsil

Amb (Dadyal), Ankar, Bal Piran, Baloh, Bandrian Blagara, Barhat, Basar, Bathar, Bathroi, Behari, Bheli, Chak Bhopa, Chak Kot, Chak Sharaf Shah, Chalayar, Chana, Chapare, Chattroh, Dagar, Darunni, Dheegal, Dheri Qasim, Dudh Prat, Ganchoor, Ghaner, Haveli Baghal, Jamian Sandhera, Kalarwari, Kaljoor, Kathar Dilawar, Khareri, Kheri, Majwari, Malote, Mandi (Mirpur), Mohra Malkan, Mohra Sher Shah, Naili Syedan, Onah, Pahaith, Palot, Panor, Parot, Peel Bakhshi Molraj, Phagal Chak, Phaglian, Phair Syedan, Pippli, Potha Bangash, Potha Sher, Raipur, Rajoa, Ratta, Sahalia, Sahar Thala, Sain Baruttian, Samlota, Sandal, Sanwala Piran, Sarot, Siakh Pahaith, Sochani, Sorakhi, Thalarajwali Khan, Thanpal, Thara & Thub Jagir.

External links

• http://www.mirpurpost.com Online Newspaper of Mirpur & Azad Kashmir
• http://www.ajk.gov.pk/main/